Imagine East London in December 1914. The Mayor of West Ham had a plan. He wanted to raise an infantry unit of local men. These men would serve in the British Army. Heavy losses had already occurred on the Western Front. This is how the West Ham Pals were born. They became the 13th Service Battalion of the Essex Regiment. This is the story of The West Ham Battalion War memorial.
Volunteers poured in. Many were West Ham United’s first fans. By late February, 1,000 men had signed up. They lacked uniforms and rifles. Many had no military experience. But they wanted to teach the Germans a lesson.
The council asked for crossed hammers on their cap badge. It would connect them to the Thames Ironworks. The request was denied. Yet, the battalion kept strong ties to West Ham. “Up The Hammers!” became their battle cry.
The West Ham Battalion trained locally. Then they moved to Salisbury Plain for advanced training. Three volunteers died during training. But this did not diminish their eagerness to fight.
In December 1915, they landed in France. They fought alongside the 17th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. This was known as the Footballers’ Battalion. Back in East London, reserve companies played at the Boleyn Ground. This encouraged more men to join up.
The West Ham Battalion fought bravely. They saw action at the Battle of the Somme. They fought at Vimy Ridge and Cambrai. Many officers received the Military Cross. Some men earned the Military Medal. Others got the Distinguished Conduct Medal. This was second only to the Victoria Cross.
At the Battle of Cambrai, the Pals made an epic last stand. It made headlines in late 1917. By the war’s end, out of 1,000 men, about 250 died. Half were severely wounded. A quarter survived with internal scars.
They never had a victory parade. The West Ham Battalion was disbanded. They were relegated to history. But East London and West Ham United never forgot.
A permanent memorial honors their sacrifice. It is a plaque at the Stadium Store entrance. Elliott Taylor and Sir Trevor Brooking unveiled it in 2009 at the Boleyn Ground. This plaque is dedicated to the memory of the sacrifices made by the Pals. It reminds us of their courage and service. “Up the Hammers!”